Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVII

3 0 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I and sacred sites. This extraction approach did not require any authentication processes. Additionally, the science of archaeometry was truly in its infancy in Indy's timeframe. Today, our abilities to analyse artefacts quantitatively on the atomic level have allowed us to date and attribute treasures in ways not even imaginable then. The world of archaeology and collecting (both privately and publicly) also has changed extensively in the past decades. Teller's organisation has been involved in legally purchasing artifacts from museums and from individuals within archaeological andmuseum communities who wanted Teller's organisation to research and restore the items. He has also legally obtained objects from the late Vice President of Indonesia to officials in charge of abandoned warehouses who knew that if Teller did not acquire the artefacts from them, they would disintegrate long before local or national institutions could provide the necessary expertise and funds. Further, because of Teller's scholarship and donations to remote institutions, he has been introduced to locals who shared knowledge about relatives who had immigrated to other parts of the world and taken ancient family treasures with them. Through these introductions Teller has legally acquired many Eurasian treasures to share with the West. One of the more serendipitous connections Teller received in China was the knowledge of the last female descendant of the Dao Guang Emperor (c. 182-1850), who had actually moved to Teller's hometown and base of operation in Williamsburg, Virginia! Through the years Teller has purchased Shang bronzes (c. 1200 BCE) and many court-related items that were in their possession. Those owners felt that the artefacts could go to even more appropriate and appreciative audiences. Although perhaps not as swashbuckling as the film character of Indiana Jones, Michael Teller nonetheless has undergone harrowing narrow escapes and unearthed countless miraculous finds in the several decades during which he traversed the globe in search of knowledge, history and adventure. Currently, a visitor to his Williamsburg antique shop will undoubtedly encounter this dapper individual, still boasting his signature suit, monogrammed white shirt and perfectly knotted silk tie. Just be prepared for two circumstances: the magnificent displays in the several buildings at the Williamsburg location, and the overwhelming depth and detailed knowledge of the artefacts that Teller loves to share. Teller’s business headquarters and central gallery is TK Asian Antiquities in Williamsburg, Virginia. This is also the site the most comprehensive on-site research laboratory of any Asian art dealer, as well as some restoration and conservation work. One of TK’s other main galleries is in the prestigious Fuller Building inNewYork City, and extensive restoration capabilities are in China.